I do not think that I will reveal a terrible
secret if I say that studying of Chinese characters is
simultaneous solution of three different tasks: recognition of
complex graphic images, fixation of these images in memory and
creation connections or associations between these images and
their meanings and pronunciations in mind or in brain. There is
also a fourth task: reproduction of Chinese Characters,
either on digital devices or drawing characters on paper. But we
will talk about that later. Now let's explore first three tasks.

So, we have divided one complex task into
three simple ones. The first and the most difficult task is
perception and, of course, distinction of complex graphic
images. The fact is that the processing of complex graphic
images takes place in the subconscious, not in the
consciousness. This is the trouble, because we practically can
not influence this process. But this is also an advantage,
because image processing in the subconscious mind is very fast.
We can not influence the process, but if it goes, it happens
very quickly. And we must take this advantage.

Fortunately, we know in general terms how our
subconscious mind processes complex graphic images. Fortunately,
for many centuries of development of Chinese characters, for
many centuries of using and learning Chinese characters, people
unknowingly using the cultural analogue of "natural selection"
came to a structure of characters that most closely corresponds
to the natural way of perceiving graphic images. So we can use
the natural ways of perception of these images in our own
purposes.

The first thing to note is that the
subconscious mind stores images as a whole. It's
important. This is the basis for the so-called "flash card
method", when the character is displayed to the user, and after
a while its meaning or pronunciation is reported to him. All
that is needed to remember the image, is to see it some
necessary time. In this case, the activity of our brain is to
try to remember "the picture". The suggestion of the meaning of
a character creates "graphical-semantic" associations in the
mind. But it's another task, and it doesn't help us in the
second task solution or in the fixation of the image in memory.
The fixation of the image in memory occurs by itself,
spontaneously, regardless of our fussy activity: "memorize it,
memorize it, memorize it..." And we remember, that we remember
whole image as whole. That is why we easily recognize the
Chinese character in a series of similar ones, although we can
not yet reproduce it on paper or even to visualize it in our
mind. That is why we can make easier the task of memorizing the
image, presenting it for identification of it in a series
similar to it. That is why the phonetic input loses to the
graphical input systems, because when the syllable is entered,
the system produces a set of characters that sound like
the one you are looking for, and do not look like
it. (It should be noted that phonetic input is possible
only when we know exactly how the character sounds and
how it looks.)

And we can note here the second thing: for
our subconsciousness the similarity is the absence of
differences. And this thing allows us to understand how goes
images recognition itself. Our brain seeks similarity, noting
differences. Where and how does our brain find differences?

Please, look at these pictures: 猴 侯 喉. You
see immediately that these pictures are different. And they
differs by its first elements. And then, on second stage, You
understand, that they are very similar by its last element.
Therefore, we can see, two things: our brain analyzes the images
by dividing it into some components and examines them
sequentially, one-by-one. And the direction of this sequence of
examination is determined by our cultural habits. (I suppose the
Arabs, for example, can see the elements in reverse order, but
it does not matter, we use direction from left to right or from
top to bottom.) It's very simple: 什, 化, 代, 位, 们...

And what happens when there are many
elements, and they do not fit into a linear sequence? If they
are located immediately in two dimensions: left and right, top
and bottom? 媛 or 暖, or 暧. Our brain is not inclined to
complicate your life without necessity. On the first "picture"
we see "女" and "something else" without having the names of
neither "女" nor this "something else". On the second "picture"
we see "日" and again the same "something else". It's enough now.
But. On the third picture we see the same "日", and something,
that is not "previous something", but very similar to "previous
something", and it differs from previous by one little element
inside in this "something": "爰" and "爱". OK. We remember, that
"the similarity is the absence of differences". And brain seek
for differences. And he agrees to a similarity if he did not
find a difference. Where? Outside first, along the periphery of
the image, at the beginning and at the end of the usual
sequence, and then inside the picture only. (We have seen this
in the examples.) Then our brain focus on this differences,
memorize it and use it as a "distinctive element", as a "label",
for this image. Thus, "日" distinguish "暖" from "媛", and
"一" distinguish "暖" from "暧". If exist some element which
distinguish one image from another, we can assume that for each
image may exist such a set of elements, which distinguish that
image from all other images. Let's call that sets of elements "markers".
Thus, the marker of each image is set of his elements which
distinguish this image from all another. The separation of
complex graphic images into elements, their sequential analysis
and selection of markers for each image, which makes it possible
to quickly and easily distinguish this image from all others, is
a natural way of image recognition.

And we can note here the third thing: the
markers help us to recognize (and memorize!) images. While we
analyze image in natural way, we help our subconsciousness to
memorize it as a whole. I'm sure I didn't tell anything new for
You. Surely, we can make good game for easy and efficient
memorizing of Chinese characters based on the principles of
natural image recognition way. Then we can add our third task to
this game – creation the connections or associations characters
and their "names" or "meanings", or creation
"graphical-semantic" associations. But how can we verify
the correctness of memorization? We need to reproduce the
required character, of course. So we come to fourth task –
reproduction of Chinese characters.

2. Phonetic input. It is a mainstream
technology. You type on keyboard simple syllable "yì" (or
"yi4"), for example, and get for choice... 337 different
characters. What should You do? You must select the
desired character. Therefore, You must know its graphic
representation. Phonetic input don't help You to learn Chinese
characters. If You use phonetic input in our game to learn how
to recognize Chinese characters, You must first learn to write
them. How? By handwriting, of course, slow and difficult
technology...

Now the most interesting part begins. While
you were looking through and analyzing the characters, you
identified their elements, found their markers. Why not use them
to enter Chinese characters? You can tell this information to
the computer and ask him to compose a symbol according to the
elements you point out or select it directly according to the
entered marker.
I tried to do this. And it turned out that it
is easy and fast. It turned out that just two clicks of the
mouse or touching the touch screen is enough to enter most of
the characters. And only every fifth character requires 3 clicks
for input, and never more. It is almost two times faster than
phonetic input.

The simple game for characters remembering
become fast, powerful, efficient characters input system. In
addition, it turned out that we can begin to learn the Chinese
characters right from the first lesson now, not expecting to
learn the pronunciation of all the characters, moreover, we can
easily find the meaning of any character in the dictionary,
without knowing its pronunciation, it is very important for the
beginner. But we will stop now, and talk about technical details
of composite input next time.